Asking the Question
by Eiseman04
Summary: Post-Hogwarts - Harry tries to convince Ginny to find out what's in his pocket. Not dirty!


Ginny was almost asleep, right at the point when awareness almost didn't exist. Sure, she still had the lamp on the nightstand lit, but that was only so Harry wouldn't stumble and wake her when he returned from his late night shift. Warm, fluffy clouds circled her…no worries…no thoughts of patients…no thoughts at all, yes sleep.

"Ohhhhhh Yeah!" Harry said loudly as he jumped onto the bed. He half landed on Ginny, putting his face oh so very close to her head. "Ginny dear, are you awake," he half whispered, but more like shouted into her ear.

"No Harry, I'm just in the land of in-between at the moment," she hissed. "After that running leap and landing on me, how could I not be awake you prat?"

Harry smiled. He knew she needed her sleep after waking early this morning for her rounds, but he just couldn't wait another day, no not another minute either.

"Well, I'm sorry for waking you. I just assumed with the light on that you were reading or something," he answered.

"Harry, I always leave the light on for you when you're due inlate. I don't want you tripping and hitting the bed again, like that one time, remember," she said teasingly, "I mean, I didn't know that it wasn't an intruder and well, I hate having to heal you after casting a full body bind on you. A girl can only defend herself to an extent while her brave boyfriend runs all over the bloody island saving and protecting other, you know?" Ginny replied while opening her eyes and trying hard not to laugh at the memory of her naked boyfriend flat on the floor unmoving. What had started as her casting a spell for protection had turned into an evening of pure enjoyment for her while she had taken her sweet time undoing the curse. Of course, after that episode Harry always made sure that if the room was dark he had his wand in his hand.

The two had been "living together" for the past year. Originally it had started out as Harry, Ron, Hermione and herself sharing a flat in muggle London. The four had been through so many battles, travels and adventurestogether, that it had seemed natural for them to want to share a place together. Of course, Ron and Hermionealready dating helped the arrangements. For Mr. & Mrs. Weasley's sake a three bedroom flat had been taken with the notion that the girls were going to share a room and each boy would have his own. In reality it had been Ron and Hermione sharing a room with Harry and her each having a single.

The catch had been that whenever one of the elder Weasley's would visit a simple charm spell that had been cast at the entrance of the flat and floo would change the perception of the contents in a room to look like both girls where in the largest room together and the boys each in their own individual. That had worked for many months until the one time that Mr. Weasley had apparated in and didn't use either the entrance or floo and found Ron and Hermione in a very compromising position.

Needless to say, Hermione and Ron announced their engagement almost a week later. Of course, Mrs. Weasley was delighted and Mr. Weasley was relieved because he had given them a week before he felt that he would need toinform Molly about what he had happened upon. This was well and good since Mr. Weasley knew that since his son had committed to the girlhe didn't have to reveal anything to his own wife about the situation. He allowed the "children" to continue with their living arrangements and helped them to put up the anti-apparation wards so that no other family member would stumble upon the living arrangements.

This worked for many months while everyone was intent on planning the details of the wedding. Of course, Harry was asked to be best man and Ginny the maid of honor, so naturally that threw Harry and Ginny into even more time spent together.

It was the night they had stayed up looking for the best option for a combined stag/hen party that it happened. They were bleary eyed at two in the morning on Ginny's bed looking at different locations, offered entertainment and too many caters menus. Harry, having pulled a double shift the evening before was dead on the bed. Ginny, too tired to move to Harry's room, shoved all the papers to the floor and lay down next to Harry.

The next morning, Harry had awaked to Ginny's vibrant head of hair under his nose with the sweetest smell that he could ever remember, lavender and heather. Breathing deeply he realized that Ginny's head was on his chest, her hand under his t-shirt, and her leg thrown over his hips. And to his surprise, hishand was under her blouse on her back stroking.

Inhaling her scent again, his lips, by their own accord, kissed the top of her head. He felt Ginny sigh and turn her head up towards his face; she was placing small opened mouthed kisses up his neck, along his jaw, until she connected with his lips. Harry wasn't sure if she was still sleeping or not, but took full advantage of the situation, kissing Ginny fully.

He felt the exact moment when she realized that she was really kissing him. She hesitated and paused then slowly swept her tongue against the outer rim of his mouth across his lips. He didn't hesitate, opening his mouth to grant her access immediately. He felt her hand move up his torso and circle around his pectoral, tweaking his nipple. He inhaled harshly, losing his breath. He lifted his lips from hers and looked into her big chocolate eyes. He saw the want and need there.

"Ginny, wh…what are we doing?" he rasped out.

"Something I've been dreaming of for years, Harry," she replied while lowering her head shyly. Harry could see how much those words must have cost her because her face was slowly turning pink from her blush.

"Then by all means, Ms. Weasely, please continue," he answered.

"Harry?" she asked confused.

"Gin, I've only been thinking about this for the last year and half myself. I…I'm just not good with words. I didn't want to mess up our friendship. Hermione told me you got over me years ago and well…our relationship just meant too much to me to risk this," Harry told her truthfully while gazing into her eyes steadily.

"Oh Harry, why didn't you say something sooner. We could have gotten a two bedroom flat and saved some money you big oaf!" she jokingly teased.

He looked at her with a half smile, "Yea, I guess I should have something," he admitted.

Ginny pushed herself up further to capture his lips in another searing kiss. This time, Harry rolled her over and pushed his hands up to capture her breast in his hand.

After that revealing morning, Harry and Ginny put another spell on the entrances to make it look like there were still people living in the extra bedroom, when in actuality it was empty.

After Hermione and Ron's wedding, they had downsized to a two-room flat and even though Mrs. Weasley wasn't pleased that her only daughter was living with her boyfriend, she accepted that since they were staying in two different rooms that it would be fine. Of course, the charm was the first things installed, with anti-apperation wards second.

Presently, Harry was bouncing lightly on the bed trying to keep Ginny awake. "So, how was your day?" he questioned.

"Busy, fine, tiring" she said irritably. "Why are you so cheerful?"

"I'm not cheerful," he said smiling and bouncing slightly.

"Mmhumm"

"Oh, did you feel that?" he questioned.

"What"

"That"

Ginny looked at Harry strangely. He was still bouncing, but he had thrown a leg over her and was grinding his pelvis into her.

"I don't feel anything Harry," she answered again. Ginny was becoming annoyed with her randy boyfriend. Couldn't he see that she was in the mood for anything? Ugh, sometimes guys just didn't get the message.

"No no, I definitely felt something," he said grinning and grinding again.

Ginny just stared at him with a stern look on her face.

"It's something in my pocket, I think" he smiled.

Oh great, the 'something in my pocket' trick. Did guys actually think that girls didn't know what they were on about? Next he was going to ask her wasif she could 'reach his wand' for him or if she'd 'polish his wand'. Great Merlin, guys could be dense sometimes she thought sighing loudly.

"Why don't you reach down into my pocket and get that for me Gin," Harry tried again.

"I don't feel anything Harry and I think that you must be just a bit too tired from your shift for anything else to happen," she replied with a frosty tone.

"No Gin, I'm sure there is something in my pocket," Harry persisted, "here let **me** reach for it and find out what it is."

Harry reached down into his pajama pocket and pulled out a small black velvet box. Ginny's eyes widened. Harry then proceeded to pull himself up, while tugging on Ginny's arms to pull her to a sitting position in bed. He tucked one leg behind him and leaned on one knee. Ginny simply stared at him, eyes huge and transfixed.

"Ginerva Molly Weasley, I have loved you for such a long time. When I think about my future, you are always by my side. I love falling asleep with you every night and awaking to you every morning. You light my days with sunshine and laughter. You make me more then just the boy-who-lived; you make me the man-who-loved with all his heart. Marry me?" he said with love in his voice, "Please," he added with some uncertainty.

Ginny couldn't help the tears that streaked down her face. She couldn't believe what he was asking her. Of course, she had imagined them marrying, but not so soon; they had only been "officially" dating for three months.

Harry was growing concerned with Ginny's silence, "I know it's sudden, but we've been friends for almost six years, best friends for two of them and we know each other. We just **know** Ginny," he pleaded.

Ginny shook herself, "Yes, yes, yes!" she had whispered then grew stronger in her answer. "Of course I'll marryyou Harry! I love you."

"Oh thank Merlin!" he exclaimed "I thought there for a minute you wouldn't say yes, that it was too soon. I was going to ask you tomorrow, on Valentine's day but I couldn't wait, and well it seemed a little clichéd and…"

Ginny cut him off with a tug at his hand and sealed his rambling lips with her own. After a few minutes of a very pleasant snog, Harry broke away from her. She looked at him with questioning eyes, he smiled looked to his other hand that still held the velvet box and pulled out the diamond ring set in platinum out and slid it on her finger.

Ginny was just delightedly happy, awake, and happy. She decided to award Harry with a little something extra that night anyway. They did have to celebrate.

However the next morning, when she had to drag herself out of bed grouchy and late she wasn't in any celebration mood. Harry got to sleep in while she had to go to her job, that wasn't fair. So later in the day when they both met up back at the Borrow for her Mum's Valentine's Day celebration dinner she merely kissed him in greeting and sent him in with her brothers to the living room. She had a plan, something that would get him back for keeping her up late the night before.

Her Mum was the first to notice the new ring on her hand and squealed with delight, her sisters-in-law saw right away what had made their mother-in-law so happy. All the boisterous talking and exclamations brought the men into the kitchen to see what had got their respective wives in such an uproar. Finally Hermione broke away from the gaggle of women looking at Ginny's handand gave Harry a huge hug.

"Congratulations Harry!" Hermione exclaimed. "I'm so happy for you both, but I thought you were going to wait until later?" she questioned.

Harry looked around and shrugged at the men, "I just couldn't wait" he said grinning.

All the Weasley men finally understood that Harry had "popped" the question to their baby sister.

"So Gin-bug," said Fred, "how did ickle Harrykins ask you?"

Everyone turned towards Ginny interested in the engagement story. Ginny smiled a little evilly and mentally thanked her brother; she knew she could depend on one of the twins for helping her get her little revenge.

"Well…you see I was coming home from work this afternoon and was really tired because I had stayed up late last night reading a book." Here her mum tutted with her tongue and gave Ginny a disapproving look. Ginny just ignored her and continued with her story,"well I walked into my room and a spell hit me, sending me flying onto the bed. I looked up and there he was... big green eyes, jet black hair, white toga, and a little bow and arrow floating above my bed. Harry went into this speech about us, which is private, so don't ask" she said to everyone eyeing them," then he shot his little arrow at me and it turned into the ring and landed on my finger. And well you know the rest," she finished wagging the hand with the finger out to everyone, avoiding Harry's eyes and grinning very broadly.

All the women in the room let out a sigh at the same time, all the men tried to keep their laughter disguised behind their hands or coughs. Harry had moved slowly towards Ginny stealthily during her tall tale,adeep red blush covering his entire face.

"Uh, if you'll excuse me I need to have a word with my fiancé," Harry said to the room.

Dragging Ginny out the back door onto the back porch, he rounded on her, "What in the name of Merlin was that?" he demanded.

Ginny smiled slyly, turning her eyes of mirth up at him, "that was me telling them the "acceptable" story of your engagement proposal. Really Harry, would you have rather me told them that you asked me in our bed and then I shagged you senseless? She knew she had him, her little plan to get back at him keeping her up worked, now he would have to live up to that edition of the story for the rest of their lives, ah, how sweet life was.

Harry stopped his pacing and thought about what she had said, "Okay, I get that we couldn't exactly tell your family the real story, but did you have to make me look like a love sick puppy," he softly whimpered.

"That, my dear hubby-to-be, is what you get when you persist in asking me questions late in the night when I want, no need, my sleep." She emphasized her point with a finger in his chest. Knowing that he had learned his lesson, she wrapped her arms around his neck and nuzzled her lips into his chest.

Harry cradled the woman that had agreed to become his wife and realized something; he was going to have to remember to make sure that she got her full seven and a half hours of sleep if he didn't want to get in trouble for his odd urges. She had ways of getting revenge if she didn't get her rest; he had a lifetime to remember this particular revenge.

Well, he thought on the bright side, at least he had received his answer in the positive, it could have been worse then living with the teasing from his future brothers-in-law, he could have lost the girl completely. Life was looking good as long as he had the fiery redhead next to him for the rest of it.

Of course, a couple of children wouldn't hurt either. He just had to make sure no one asked any stories of conception and that Ginny got plenty of sleep.


End file.
